Saturday, July 17, 2004
Great-Martyr Marina of Antioch in Pisidia
2nd at Vespers/3, Prophet Elijah: 1 Kings 19:1-18 Epistle: Romans 12:1-3 Gospel: St. Matthew 10:37-11:1
1 Kings 19:1-18, especially vs. 9: "He came to a cave, and lodged there; and
behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, 'What are you doing here, Elijah?'" Accustomed to
standing before God and being with his Lord, Elijah heard God when He spoke to him. For this reason, the Prophet also
reveals how God is present for all those who know Him. How is that? How is it that God presents Himself to those who
are mature in faith so that a struggler knows clearly when it is "the word of the Lord" that he is hearing in the still, small
voice that speaks within (vss. 9,13)?
In the present passage, God discloses how He presents Himself to His beloved. Follow the narrative: continuing the raging
cultural war inside the kingdom of Israel, Queen Jezebel, with the full power of the throne, blatantly threatened Elijah's life
(vs. 2). So the Prophet "arose and went for his life," moving south away from her control in Israel, even through the
adjoining kingdom of Judah to the southernmost limits of 'civilization' at Beer Sheba from which he pressed on (vs. 3).
Exhausted by a day's journey into the desert, he prays for death, lies down, and sleeps (vss. 4,5). Now, with Elijah in
extremity, God would make Himself clearly present.
God provided for the Prophet, feeding him by an angel to sustain him for his sojourn in the wilderness (vss. 4-8). Knowing
God as a Provider reoccurred as a pattern throughout Elijah's life. The ravens fed him when God sent him to the brook
Cherith in the Transjordan wilderness (1 K. 17:4-6). In the confrontation with the priests of Baal, God provided the fire
which consumed Elijah's offering (1 K. 18:38). Beloved of the Lord, God is ever-present, providing for us also as David
cries: "Thou hast visited the earth and abundantly watered her; Thou hast multiplied the means of enriching her...Thou hast
prepared their food" (Ps. 64:9,10 LXX). He provides for all our needs - especially even delivering us from our sins (Ps.
78:9 LXX).
Notice, next, how God probes His Prophet's consciousness to present Himself within Elijah's mind and heart. Twice the
Lord asks, "What are you doing here, Elijah?" (1 K. 19:9,13). The Lord Jesus likewise probes His disciples to reflect with
Him. He asked the Twelve, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, Am?" (Mt. 16:13). Then, much as in the case of
Elijah, the Lord Jesus pressed again, "But who do you say that I Am?" (Mt. 16:15). Let us never forget that the Lord is
probing our consciousness as well: "I stand at the door and knock" (Rev. 3:20). In our decision making, God is present,
ever probing that we should awaken to Him.
This probing of God into our hearts and minds serves to awaken us, to make us aware of His presence so that we will hear
Him when He speaks to us. Once God has the full attention of one of His servants, He commands. He had Elijah's
attention so well that the Prophet could declare to Ahab "there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my
word" (1 K. 17:2). Then God commanded Elijah to go to the brook Cherith (1 K. 17:3). When the water dried up there,
God commanded Elijah to "Arise, go to Zarephath" (1 K. 17:9). After three years of drought, the Lord directed His Prophet
to "Go, show yourself to Ahab" (1 K. 18:1).
Again, having Elijah's attention, God commands the Prophet: "Go return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus" (1
K. 19:15), to the capital of Syria, and there "anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall
anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be Prophet in your place"
(1 K. 19:15,16). Thus God will finish the cultural war in Israel and rid the kingdom of Ahab and Jezebel.
O Lord, Thou hast provided us with Thy life-giving Mysteries for our souls and bodies, and enlightened the eyes of our
hearts: by Thy grace may we ever obey Thy commandments.
